1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is a type of improvement relating to a corona generator. It especially refers to a refine on the generate corona discharges used for air-purification purposes in relatively small, sealed spaces, such as in the passenger compartment of an automobile, such that, during the occurrence of a corona, noise can be greatly reduced without reducing the concentration of ozone.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As is known from the literature published in this country and other countries on ozone technology, the most common method of generating ozone is to force air or pure oxygen (O.sub.2) through the "surface" discharge area formed by high-voltage electricity opposite low voltage electricity (also know as corona). The theoretical reaction formula for the phenomenon therefrom produced is: EQU 2O.sub.2 &lt;=&gt;O!+O.sub.3 EQU M+O.sub.3 &lt;=&gt;O.sub.2 +O!+M EQU O!+O!+M&lt;=&gt;O.sub.2 +M
The ozone concentration therefrom produced is directly related to the size of said corona area and the oxygen content of the air that passes through said corona area. In industrial and commercial applications, ozone can be used to purify, deodorize, and sterilize air or water.
In recent years, several patents have been developed both in this country and in other countries that relate to corona generators, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,109,289 and 5,502,346 and Taiwan Patent Nos. 78212629 and 83203594. However, these have not been oriented towards use in small rooms or the passenger compartments of automobiles. The cause for this lies in the fact that the corona generators that are currently used for commercial purposes or in household ozone units must leave a gap of from 1 to 2 mm for the occurrence of coronas between the high-voltage plate and the insulating board of the low-voltage plate in order to provide a flow of air through said corona area. When high voltage plates discharge electricity at the opposing low-voltage plate and a corona occurs, there is no relatively superior method to reduce the accompanying noise (see FIG. 5). If it is used in a passenger compartment with closed windows and doors or in a relatively small room, it is certain to make people feel uncomfortable. Moreover, as a result of the structure of existing corona generators, though mere adjustment of the gap between said high-voltage plate and insulating board may lower the volume of the noise during the occurrence of a corona, the volume of air flowing through said corona area is simultaneously reduced, with the result that ozone concentration drops sharply and the hoped for effect is not achieved.